Knocks at the Door
by Nivek01
Summary: AU. A young woman has her isolation disturbed when a nearby neighbor asks for some help. Now, Chrome finds herself dragged into all kinds of dramatic misadventures, learning along the way that perhaps she isn't as different from these strange people as she first thought.
1. Sugar

The knock at the door was soft, quiet, tentative. Chrome wouldn't have heard it if there had been any noise in her apartment. As it was, with nothing coming from a computer, phone, or television, she heard the raps.

Knife in hand, chain secured in place, Chrome cracked her door open and peered at her visitor.

"Oh thank goodness someone's home-"

She closed her door again before the man on the other side finished his first sentence. She re-locked all three locks and was able to take two steps to her phone, charging on her counter, before the knocking resumed. This time there was more force behind the blows, and the man's voice could be heard.

"Wait, wait, wait! I know this looks really bad, but please don't do anything drastic. No one else is around, and if I don't get some sugar I'm not going to be able to finish these cookies."

Chrome stared at her door. The man's pleading continued despite her lack of response. She went back to the locks, paused, then undid them again.

She pulled open the door as far as the chain would let her, hiding everything but her face behind it, and asked "Why are you not wearing anything?"

The man's face blushed pink as he scratched at his head, full of brown hair sticking up and out in all directions. "Well, I mean, I've got my boxers. That's something, right?"

Chrome's door creaked as she started to push it shut.

The man's eyes widened in panic. "Okay, so I might have started a small fire, it was an accident, the fire alarm didn't go off, everything's fine. But I really need some sugar, do you have any I can use? I'll pay you back, I swear."

The man did his best to clasp his hands in a pleading manner while holding a glass measuring cup. Chrome could see the red welts on his hands and fingers, thin lines that could have been burns from hot pans.

She gave a slow nod and held out her hand, not letting it stick out past the door frame.

If people glowed when they were happy, the man's face would have been a lightbulb. "Thank you so much. I only need a cup, not too much, and I'll pay you back as soon as I can."

He tried to pass the cup to Chrome, but it wouldn't fit between the door and the wall. The man pushed a few times, but all he accomplished was wedging it in the gap.

"Uh...hm." The man scratched at his head again. "You don't think you could...well, if you wouldn't mind…"

Chrome knocked the cup from its place and shut the door while the man fumbled to catch his measuring tool. After snapping the locks in place, she wandered over to her cabinets. The only sugar she had was in a large, unopened, bag. She picked it up and returned to the door, tucking the bag of sugar close with her knife hand while careful not to stab anything.

Once the locks were undone and the door cracked open, Chrome switched the sugar to her other hand to keep the knife hidden from the man. She tried to push the bag through the gap but it couldn't squeeze through. She pulled it free with a sigh, and they both looked at the chain holding her door back.

"If you don't mind-" The man began.

"No," Chrome interrupted.

The man stared at her. "You don't have to-"

"No," she repeated, but he kept speaking.

"-open the door," he finished. "We could try pouring some right here, if you don't mind."

Chrome blinked. The man gave a hesitant smile, and held the cup up to the door, tilted towards her.

Chrome stepped back to her counter, keeping watch on the man while she did. She set the bag of sugar down and used her knife to slice it open, this time not bothering to hide her blade. The man's smile didn't change, but his eyes widened when he saw how the sharp point pierced into the sugar with little resistance. The blush he had from earlier faded, replaced by a slight pale.

Chrome kept the knife displayed as she carried the sugar to the door. The man flinched when she brought it close to him, but Chrome kept the point downward, and used that hand to control the flow of tiny crystals. Seeing he was safe from imminent stabbing, the man shifted his gaze back to his measuring cup.

When the cup was half full, he tilted it back towards him. "That should be enough, thanks."

Chrome squeezed the bag and folded the top closed. The man began to turn away, but hesitated. "Really, I can't thank you enough for this. You're a lifesa-"

Chrome shut her door and twisted the locks shut with as much speed as possible. She stood still, in the darkness of her apartment, until she could hear the sound of retreating footsteps. It was only then that she put her sugar away and set her knife down.

* * *

><p>Hours later, Chrome heard a shuffling at her door. She reached over from where she sat and grasped her knife, her eye focused on the crack between her door and the floor. The light from the hallway was blocked, and the shuffling noise grew louder. Chrome tensed as the edge of something white stuck under her door, but calmed down when the rest of the piece of paper slid into her apartment.<p>

She waited for fifteen minutes after the noises outside her door had vanished before she picked up the paper. Chrome flipped on a lamp to read the note. At the top of the note was an arrow pointing toward the hallway, and in the center were two words.

_For you_

Chrome looked back at her door. She walked over, undid her locks, and peered out at the hallway. No one was in sight. She looked down, and saw a small circle at her feet, wrapped in a napkin.

Chrome picked up the bundle and shut her door. She was able to re-lock it without looking, her gaze drawn down to the package in her hand. Alone in her silent apartment once more, she unfolded it under the lamp and spent some time staring at the sugar cookie that had been given to her.


	2. Cookie

Chrome laid on the floor of her apartment and stared up at the ceiling. Her knife was nearby, within the reach of her arm. She breathed in and out with the rhythm of someone who is almost asleep.

A knock on the door startled her into awareness. Chrome brought her knife close and stood up. The thumps had been loud, louder than the last time someone had called on her. Chrome's gaze drifted to the cookie, still wrapped in napkin, that sat on her counter next to her phone.

A second knock grabbed Chrome's attention again, and she went to her door. She undid her locks and pulled it open to reveal the man that had asked her for sugar the day before. This time he was fully dressed, wearing pants, a shirt, and an unzipped hoodie. His hair was just as wild, but his smile came easier. "Hey there. Did I interrupt anything?"

Chrome stood with her body hidden by the doorway, frozen in place. When she didn't respond, the man coughed. "I'm sorry, were you not expecting my clothes? I've been told that I dress younger than I look."

"...Can I help you?" Chrome asked.

"Oh, no, that's my line," the man replied. "You hooked me up when I needed it, and I'm here to repay the favor. How was the cookie, by the way?"

Chrome's gaze slid downward, settling on the door frame. "That's unnecessary."

"To ask about the cookie?" The man fought a nervous laugh. "Well, I've got to make up for the way I passed it off to you. Kinda creepy of me, sorry."

The man didn't notice Chrome's shift in posture, the surprised quirk of her eyebrows. He kept on talking, turning redder as he went on. "In a way, you helped make the cookies, so I figured you deserved some of the product. I wanted to get one over to you before my family showed up, while the cookies were still warm, but then my siblings nearly kicked down my door. I spent hours just trying to keep them from doing damage to my place."

His face twisted into a grimace as he recalled the experience. "Any more damage, that is. I tried slipping away after my parents showed up, but then everyone wanted to know who I was taking a cookie to, and I figured you didn't want a bunch of teens interrogating you. Especially since we don't really know each other."

He snapped back to reality, his eyes wide as they could open. "My god, you don't even know my name, do you?"

Chrome gave a slow shake of her head.

The man gave a bow. "I'm Tsuna. Sawada Tsunayoshi, resident of number two-oh-seven, grad student at Nami-U. Please take care of me."

"...Hello," Chrome said, dazed.

Tsuna straightened back up. "That was probably way too formal. Sorry, please just call me Tsuna. Sawada is my dad, and the only person who calls me Tsunayoshi is constantly trying to pick a fight with me. And I don't really want to fight with you. So. Tsuna."

"Tsuna." Chrome echoed. "Why didn't you bring the cookie now?"

Tsuna stared at her. She watched as his face morphed into a look of horror and shame.

"Why didn't I just do that?" He muttered. "I was going to come over anyway. All I had to do was keep one safe from my family till they left. That would have been much more normal."

Chrome leaned away as Tsuna sagged over. She waited, but the devastated man made no attempt to continue speaking, lost in his own self-criticisms. The woman looked at her door, fiddling with the knob and locks.

She pushed the door shut. Chrome slid the first lock into place before she paused. Tsuna had made no noise on the other side of the doorway. She bit her lip as her hand hovered over the second lock.

With a hesitant waver, her hand moved back to the first lock, and she unsealed her door. Pulling it open a fraction, Chrome peered out into the hallway. Tsuna was no longer in front of her door. She shut her door, paused again, then undid the chain keeping her door from swinging free.

Chrome opened the door wider and poked her head into the hallway. She saw Tsuna trudging away, head hung low.

"Uh...thanks." She said. Her voice wasn't loud enough to reach Tsuna, so she tried again.

"Chrome," she called out. Tsuna paused, and looked over his shoulder.

"It's my name," she explained, moving a lock of her purple hair out of her face. "Thank you for the cookie. It was nice. No need to do anything else for me."

Chrome ducked back into her apartment and closed the door. This time, she snapped all three locks into place and slid the chain into its groove. Then she stepped away from her door and closed her eye, feeling her pulse with two fingers to her neck. She didn't move for another two minutes, when the beating of her heart had slowed down again and her trembling had ceased.

When she opened her eye again, she looked toward the cookie resting on the counter. With a few quick steps she had it in her hand. Chrome unfolded a corner of the napkin, and nibbled at the edge of the cookie.

"Too much sugar," she muttered.

But after a moment, she took another small bite.


	3. Soda

Chrome checked her phone for the third time in ten minutes. She sighed, set her phone down next to a stack of money, and leaned against a wall in her apartment. She tapped her knife against her thigh and waited. And waited.

And waited.

A while later, there were a few knocks at her door, and a voice called out "Delivery."

Chrome stood up, grabbed the stack of bills off the counter, and opened her door. On the other side a teen with curly black hair slouched, a stapled paper bag in his hand. "That'll be seven hundred-"

Chrome snatched the bag out of his hand, replaced it with the money, and shut her door again.

"Keep the change," she said, loud enough to be heard.

She pressed her ear against it and listened. She heard the teen mutter to himself as he counted the bills, and then stomp away. When the sound of his steps vanished, Chrome relaxed. She went back to the counter and set the bag down, using her knife to slice it open. Out of the bag came cardboard boxes and a pair of disposable chopsticks.

Chrome took a step back and looked at her meal. Her eye widened, and she went back to the door, undoing the chain and sticking her head into the hallway, looking where the delivery teen had gone.

Though the teen was out of sight, she saw Tsuna coming down the hallway at the same time he noticed her head. "Oh, hey, uh...Chrome. How you doing?"

Chrome paused. "Fine."

Tsuna slowed to a stop when he reached her door. "You sure? Seems like something's up."

Chrome glanced back down the hallway. "...Delivery forgot to bring me my soda."

"What?" Tsuna said. Judging from his expression of shock, Chrome could have just told him Japan had floated off into the middle of the Pacific Ocean. "You got jipped? That's not cool."

He tapped his chin with a finger. "Hey, was it a dark colored soda?"

Chrome nodded.

"Be right back," he said.

Before she could stop him, Tsuna had turned and hurried back down the hallway, toward the stairwell. Alone once more, Chrome shut and locked her door. She returned to her food and opened one of the cardboard boxes, which was full of yellow colored noodles. Grabbing the chopsticks, she began eating.

A knock on her door caught Chrome mid-bite a minute later. She grabbed her knife from the counter and opened the locks.

Tsuna was waiting on the other side, a bottle full of black liquid in his hand. "Sorry, I don't know what your preferences are, but dark sodas taste pretty similar, right? Does this work as a substitute?"

Chrome stared at the bottle. "Are you sure?"

Tsuna smiled. "Yeah, of course."

She took the bottle from him, twisted off the cap, and smelled the aroma of the drink. "It's good," she murmured. "Thanks."

Chrome looked back up to find Tsuna squinting at her. "Are you sure you're fine? You're not sick or anything?"

Chrome shrunk a little bit under his gaze. Tsuna noticed, and he took a step back. "Sorry, sorry, sorry. I didn't mean anything by that. You look fine. Great, actually. That wasn't meant to sound like I think you look sickly or anything."

He turned a shade red. "And that wasn't meant to sound like I'm hitting on you, either. I'm not someone who's got weird ulterior motives. Not-not that there's anything wrong with you, you're a very attractive young woman. In an objective sense, objectively."

His voice had reached a pitch higher than Chrome normally heard him speak at, and he held his hands up. "You know, I think I'm just gonna go. I hope you enjoy the drink."

Tsuna sped away, down the hallway. He threw open the door to the stairwell and was gone from sight. Chrome could hear the exit for the floor below hers open before the door on her floor had shut.

She retreated into her own apartment, sealing her door and leaning against the wall next to her counter. Taking a sip from the bottle Tsuna had given her, Chrome looked at her boxes of food, too much for a single person to eat in one sitting. Giving herself a slight nod, she picked up the boxes and began separating the food into two equal groups.


	4. Barriers

Chrome stood at her door. All three locks were undone. The chain swayed, no longer bound to its slot. She stared down at her hands; one held a half-empty paper bag, the other held her knife.

She fought to keep her breathing even as she set her knife down on the floor. Then she grabbed the knob, twisted, and pulled the door open.

Light spilled in from the hallway, illuminating Chrome's apartment. It was barren of decoration, electronics, or large pieces of furniture. The only place light touched that looked inhabited was the small kitchen. The trash was almost full of disposable plates and take-out containers. The counter had a few bags of rice and simple cooking materials. A pile of dirty pots poked out of the sink, and a few letters had been taped to the fridge, along with two pictures.

The first picture had a group of uniformed teenagers, centered around a young man with purple hair tied back and a discolored left eye. Sitting next to him was a smiling Chrome, her left eye hidden by an eyepatch with a skull design. The second picture had an older Chrome, still with the eyepatch but no longer smiling, standing next to a taller woman. The woman had one arm around Chrome's shoulders while the other flashed a V with her fingers, a grin spread across her face.

There was a hallway leading back to three closed doors, and Chrome glanced back at them once. She shook her head and stepped around her kitchen knife, pulling the door closed behind her. With a quick dig into her sweatpants pocket, she produced a key, locked the one lock she could from the outside, and started toward the stairs.

Chrome kept her relaxed walk for five seconds. Then she began throwing glances behind her down the empty hallway and picked up her pace. She threw open the door to the stairwell, spinning and grabbing it once she was inside. Chrome fought to pull the door closed as fast as it would let her, glancing at the stairs leading to different floors. When the door was shut, she peered through the small window set in its center. The hallway was still empty.

Her head fell against the stairwell door, and she put her fingers to her neck. Her pulse rocketed through her veins. Chrome began to take measured breaths, inhaling and exhaling at the same rate until her heartbeat had slowed. She puffed out a sigh once she had calmed and stood up from the door, checking the large number three printed on it.

"Down," she muttered.

With tentative steps, Chrome began descending. She kept staring over the railing, but there was no one else on the stairs. She made it to the next floor down without encountering anyone.

Chrome cracked the second floor door open and peered into the hallway. From the stairwell she could see the entire length of the hallway. It was as empty as the stairwell had before.

She slipped into the hallway, glancing at the door across from her. It was labelled 210. Chrome moved down the hallway, scanning the numbers on every door. She passed by a mirror that captured her reflection for a moment; her long purple hair down and in tangles, her shirt worn and her sweat pants sporting a small stain. With some inspection even the edges of her eyepatch were frayed, but Chrome noticed none of these details.

The young woman moved down the hall till she stood in front of the door marked 207. She put her fist up against the door and swallowed back her nerves.

Chrome knocked on Tsuna's door.

Tsuna's voice was muffled. "Hold on, give me a moment, I'm in the middle of something."

Chrome shrunk back, but stood her ground. She could hear a clang of metal, and a few seconds later the door swung open. Tsuna's expression was dominated by his frown. "What do you wan-"

When he made eye contact with Chrome, he froze. The frown vanished, and when he spoke his voice was both louder and higher. "Oh, hey, Chrome. Wasn't expecting you today. Did you enjoy the drink? Was there anything wrong with it?"

Chrome shook her head.

Tsuna leaned against the doorframe. "That's good, that's really good."

The smell of cooked meat wafted into the hallway from Tsuna's apartment. Tsuna looked back over his shoulder. "Sorry about what I said earlier, you caught me mid-cooking. If you're still hungry, you can come in and have a bite?"

Chrome took a step back, her head down and the bag now hidden behind her. "No, thank you. Enjoy your dinner."

She turned on her heel and retreated from Tsuna's apartment.

"You alright?" Tsuna called out to her. Chrome sped up rather than reply, and disappeared back into the stairwell. She took the steps two at a time, bursting onto her own floor without checking the hallway. At a speed just below a run, she moved to her door while feeling her pocket for the key. After a moment of fumbling, Chrome unlocked her lock and stepped into her apartment, slamming the door shut behind her and sealing it up in record time.

The darkness swelled up around her, obscuring her vision and compounding the sudden silence. Chrome sighed and put her back to her door, tossing the brown bag into the dark void and sliding to the floor. Her now empty hand searched around her until it closed around the handle of her knife. She brought it to her chest and cradled it while her eye adjusted to the lack of light.

When she could see again, Chrome looked herself over. She noticed her threadbare shirt and the stain on her pants. When she touched her face she felt the frays on her eyepatch, and when her hand ran through her hair it caught on the tangles.

She pulled in closer to herself, the hand in her hair clenching.

"Stupid," she muttered. "Stupid, stupid, stupid."


	5. Texts

The image of a closed envelope flashed in the bottom corner of the phone's screen. The vibrations that came with a message caught Chrome's attention, and she picked up her phone from its resting spot next to her. With a few quick taps, she opened the newest mail.

_ Have you left your place since the bungled delivery?_

Chrome's thumb slid around the virtual keypad with practiced ease. _No._

_ Is that why I haven't seen you at work the past week?_

Though she was alone, Chrome still hung her head. _Sorry._

_ Relax, girl :) I was just curious. Told you that your hours were flexible, remember?_

_I know, _Chrome typed out. She switched to both her hands for the next message. _But i don't want to abuse your kindness. Youve helped me out so much and i cant even show up for a few hours to return the favor._

_ You do what you can and that's all anyone should ask for._

Though her thumbs hovered over the screen, Chrome didn't type out a response. She set her phone down and brought her knees up to her chest. She sat against her wall, curled into a ball, until her phone vibrated again.

_ How are you feeling?_

Chrome contemplated the message for minutes before she replied. _Disheartened. Its like I fell flat on my face just trying to say hi. I thought after all the work you've done I could at least make a polite visit to a neighbor. But I fell apart on so many levels. Hygiene. Appearance. Communication. And what was I thinking bringing him extra fast food as a gift?_

_ Chrome, I want you to pause and take a few deep breaths. Just like we've practiced._

Chrome leaned back and brought a slow breath in through her nose. She held it for three seconds, then exhaled it through her mouth. While she repeated that cycle, her phone received enough new messages that it seemed to be caught in one long vibration.

_ First off, I want you to know that leaving your place and interacting with someone else took a lot of courage, and I am proud you took that step. Someone could be a doctor of communication specialties who knew every trick in the book, and they would still 'fall flat on their face' if they didn't have the will to reach out and say hi to someone._

_ Secondly, I want you to remember the planning stage. I'm really happy that you took the first step, now we should focus on what's next. Before you leave, go over what you want to accomplish and how much deviation you're willing to accept. Think about what you want to say or topics you want to avoid. Practice talking into a mirror, which not only helps you coach yourself, but also gives you a chance to look over your appearance. _

_ Just don't get caught up with whatever flaws you think you have. Whenever someone sees an imperfection in others they think is ugly, they're seeing themselves, not you. When you look into a mirror, don't think about other people. Channel that confidence you had that brought you past your door. Then I have no doubt you'll see what a looker you are ;)  
><em>

Chrome read the string of messages typed out a response, then erased it and settled for a simple _Thanks._

_ Don't mention it :) Now, do you want to do a little rehearsal, or is it too soon?_

Chrome's eye widened. _Rehearse? As in, I'm me and you're my neighbor?_

_Yes dear, unless you're not up for it._

Chrome tapped her phone against her knee. She nodded to herself as she replied. _Let's do it._

_Alright :) Does this neighbor have a name? And how does he usually start conversation?_

_Tsuna_, Chrome answered. _He seems really relaxed and friendly when he talks._

_ Flirtatious?_

_No, kind. Simple._

_ Nice guy. Alright, you ready?_

Chrome squared her shoulders. _Begin._

_*I knock on your door*_

_*I open the door to check who it is*_

_ "Hey Chrome, how are you doing?"_

"_Fine."_

_ "You sure? You seemed pretty upset last week. Did something come up, or did I do something wrong?"_

Chrome's eyebrows came together. _Wait, we're having a conversation about something that happened in real life?_

_ Of course. If this man is kind and simple, it's not a stretch to think he would be worried about you. Besides, I don't know what else to talk about. People often use shared experiences to start conversations._

_But I don't know what to say._

_ So what would you do if Tsuna suddenly knocked on your door and wanted to talk about last week?_

Chrome stared down at the messages. "I…"

She went back to typing. "_You didn't do anything. It's complicated."_

_ "If you're sure...is there anything I can help out with?"_

"_No, I'm fine."_

_ "Okay. So...do you want to grab lunch together sometime?"_

Chrome shook her head. _ Why do you keep asking questions? He and I have never talked this much._

_ Why do you think so many questions are getting asked?_

_Because you're trying to get into character._

_ Pretend this is real. If I was actually Tsuna, why would I be asking so many questions? Try to think of two different reasons._

Chrome sighed. _You're awkward._

_ Or?_

Chrome contemplated the text. She scrolled through the conversation, re-reading each word, before she responded. _You're worried. I've been deflective and non-responsive. If he's genuinely concerned about me, I haven't done anything to assuage him._

_ So what's the next step, once you've identified two reasons for someone else's behavior?_

_Ask them why they're worried?_

_ However likely it may be, you're still assuming he's worried and discarding the other possibility. You don't actually know. How would you find out?_

_Reading body language._

_ No, simpler. You almost had it last time._

Chrome knocked her head against her wall. "A simpler way to find out if they're worried or not?"

_...Ask them how they're feeling?_

_ Yes, my dear. A key part of good communication is clarity. Tact may be wonderful, but don't let your message be fogged over by politeness. Just ask whatever is on your mind._

Chrome's shoulders fell after she read the last message. "Right. It's that easy."

_How do I ask someone that?_

_ Exactly the way you just did._

_Say "How are you feeling?"_

There was a pause before Chrome got a response.

_ Yes. Or you could say something like "Are you alright?" or "Is there something troubling you?" if you feel the simple way is too straightforward. Find your almost-comfortable place._

_Don't most people try to find a happy place? Or a safe place?_

_ Chrome, honey, people come to me because they can't find those places on their own. I can't give you a safe place, but I can ask you to trust me. If you push yourself, learn to stand on your feet before the world and not budge, you'll find a happy place._

Chrome's expression was neutral, her focus on some unmarked point of her floor while her thumbs tapped away. _So you told me when we first met. I don't feel like I've made much progress._

_ That's normal. Ordeals are always easier to understand once they're over, and we have trouble knowing who we're becoming until we can look back at how far we've come. You've come a long way Chrome. The proof is just outside your door._ _Literally._

Chrome jerked in surprise at the sound of someone knocking. She rose to her feet and approached the noise with caution. "No way…"

When she peered outside her door, she found Tsuna standing on the other side. One of his hands was rubbing the back of his neck, while the other held a phone. "Uh, hey, fancy seeing you-"

Chrome shut the door so fast it shook in its frame. She was gripping her phone tight enough that veins were popping out of her hand as she sent a message. _What is he doing outside my apartment?_

_ Ooh, that was fast. I'd expected him to dawdle._

_Don't go off on a tangent. Explain._

_ Shouldn't you be more worried about the guy whose face just got slammed into by a door?_

_He'll be fine, he wasn't that close. How do you two know each other?_

_ Good communication, Chrome. Asking direct questions like that. Now take a few deep breaths and apply what we talked about with the beanpole standing outside, and you'll get the answers you want._

Chrome tossed her phone onto the floor and fought to control her shaking. She returned to the door and opened it a crack. Tsuna stood exactly where she had left him, his expression caught between flabbergasted and embarrassed. Chrome didn't give him the opportunity to say anything.

"One moment, please," she said before closing her door again.

Chrome looked over her shirt. A few wrinkles, but no stains. She picked up a pair of sweatpants that had been balled up and thrown into the corner, shook it out, and slipped it on. Drifting over to her counter, she opened a drawer and pulled out a small mirror. The instant she saw her reflection, one of her hands began combing out the knots in her hair. As she straightened her appearance, Chrome muttered to herself. "Apology...explanation...feelings…"

After a minute of grooming and rehearsal, Chrome set the mirror back in its drawer. She kept her posture fixed as she walked to the door, and when she opened it Chrome did not hide.

Tsuna had settled into a slouched position while waiting, and he snapped upright once Chrome reappeared. He fidgeted, but said nothing.

Chrome leaned against her doorframe, one hand holding the other by the wrist. "Hello."

"Hi," Tsuna echoed.

Chrome waited.

"Oh, right," Tsuna mumbled. He cleared his throat. "Uh, I just had the weirdest visit from a neighbor. Well, he's a friend of mine. Or, we were friends? It's been a while since we've talked. Anyway, he just randomly burst by my place a little while ago and said some cryptic things which I think meant that I was supposed to come see you? Although now that I'm here I'm not so sure. Maybe it was just me twisting what I heard to come up with some excuse to swing by?"

He scratched the back of his head. "I guess what I'm trying to ask is are you okay? You seemed upset when you stopped by my place last week."

"I'm fine," Chrome kept her voice even. "In return for the drink you gave me, I was wondering if you wanted to share some food with me. When I realized my visit had become pointless due to your own cooking, I excused myself."

Chrome's cheeks turned pink and her gaze slid away from Tsuna. "I realize now that perhaps my mannerisms at that time might have caused some confusion or worry. I'm sorry. That wasn't my intention."

"Oh, no, it's fine," Tsuna held up his hands, a smile plastered across his face. "Great, even. Yeah. As long as you're okay."

His fingers curled and his smile shrank. "You...are okay, right? Nothing going wrong?"

Though nothing on her face changed, Chrome's grip on her wrist tightened. "Why do you ask?"

Tsuna leaned away a fraction. "Guts. Instinct. You know, a feeling. I get those sometimes. Sorry if this seems forward, but the last time we ran into each other you seemed…"

He searched for a word. "Unsteady?"

Chrome was frozen in place. "I'm fine. There's nothing for you to worry about."

Tsuna relaxed, though his expression remained worried. "Alright. So...do you want-"

"To grab lunch together sometime?" Chrome finished his sentence.

"...Yeah," Tsuna said. "How did you know I was going to ask that?"

Chrome shrugged. "Informed guess."

Tsuna nodded, as if the explanation made perfect sense to him. "Alright. Are you interested?"

Chrome began tapping one finger against her wrist. "Why?"

Tsuna rose an eyebrow. "Why what?"

"We hardly know each other," Chrome explained. "Why would you make an offer like that?"

Tsuna looked around him. When nothing changed, he spoke, drawing out his words. "We're acquaintances?"

Chrome didn't react, so he added "That's what they do. Visit. Talk. Share food."

Chrome's finger stopped tapping. "I'll consider it."

"Oh," Tsuna said, his voice quieter than it had been. "Okay, that's cool. You wanna trade numbers, set up a time that way?"

Chrome's eye narrowed. "No. If I want to speak with you, I'll do it in person."

Seeing Tsuna's expression, Chrome bit her lip. "Sorry. I just don't like people knowing my number."

Tsuna smiled. "It's okay. Yeah, just let me know if you ever want to get together. If I'm not home, slide a note under my door or something."

He took a few steps back. "I'll see you later?"

Chrome nodded. "Good evening."

She shut her door. Retrieving her phone, she sent off a message. _Did you have a reason for instigating this?_

A reply arrived in short order.

_ So how did the conversation go?_

_Well enough. We cleared up misunderstandings, and he invited me to lunch at some point. Much like your mock Tsuna did._

_ Are you planning on following up with his offer?_

Chrome's jaw tightened. _No. Please stop avoiding my question. How do you know him?_

_ He used to run in the same social circle as someone I'm close with. Tsuna and I only ever spoke a few times. He seemed nice._

_So your suggestion to move into this complex, where someone you know lives. It wasn't a coincidence._

_ No, honey. Full disclosure: I am familiar with most of the people that live in your building. That's why I told you about it. I knew you'd be safe there._

Chrome's eyes widened. She didn't have the chance to reply before another messaged flashed onto her screen.

_ I'm sorry for not telling you earlier. At the time you were looking for a place to live, I felt you would have been uncomfortable living around a group of people so well connected with me. I didn't think you trusted me much, back then._

Though her phone couldn't capture the image, Chrome shook her head. _No, no. Don't say sorry. You've done nothing wrong. Thank you._

_ You're welcome, sweetie. Get some rest. I hope to see you at work tomorrow ;)_

Chrome's mouth ticked upward in a smile. _Of course_.

* * *

><p>Behind the door marked 210, a young man sat in front of a large computer monitor. His head bobbed to the deep thrums of a heavy metal song as his eyes traced small alien creatures floating across his screen. With a flick of his wrist, he panned the image on his screen, a crosshair leading in front of the creatures. He clicked the mouse button, and a character fired arrows toward his reticle, hitting all three targets. The words "TRIPLE KILL" appeared at the top of his screen, flashing for a few seconds as yellow numbers began adding together on the side.<p>

An explosion drowned out the music, and the man turned his character in tandem with four others. They all began running towards the site when a phone vibrated next to his keyboard. The man paused in his head bopping and nestled the phone between his shoulder and ear. "What?"

A woman's voice whispered above the music. "Thank you for your assistance."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. It was good to see The Man again."

"And how did he seem to you?" the woman asked.

He grunted as his character began running again. "Normal, the same as every time you ask me."

"Is he still distant?"

A second explosion happened on the monitor. "The Man isn't distant. He is who he is. He just hasn't gotten over things yet."

The woman laughed. "And would you say that if you knew the mysterious person he visited this evening was a woman?"

The young man froze for a moment, then reached under his desk and yanked on a cord. His screen went dead. The music went silent. Satisfied, the young man readjusted his phone. "Want to run that by me again?"

"Your best friend just invited a girl to have lunch with him sometime," the woman elaborated.

The young man leaned back in his chair. "Huh. Well I'll be damned. Seems The Man is moving on."

"No," the woman said, her voice losing its jovial tone, "he isn't. He's looking for an escape, trying to re-establish old behaviors. I've seen it before, in people like him."

The young man narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean, 'people like him'?"

"Hollow people," The woman said. "People who walk and talk like they used to but have lost a part of themselves. If he doesn't find a way to live without that part, he's going to hurt this girl. And I won't let him do that."

"I can imagine your face," she continued. "I know you don't like what I'm saying. Remember which one of us is the physics genius, and which one of us has a decade of people experience."

The young man fought off a disgusted expression. "So what do you want me to do? Ruin this for him?"

"Help me heal them, Gokudera," the woman said. "This could be bad, or it could be wondrous. For both of them. I never expected something like this to happen, but they could be exactly who the other needs. I just need you to start being there for him, to help pull him out of his rut."

Gokudera snorted. "Sis, you forget. I'm The Man's right hand. I'll always be there to help him."

The woman sounded relieved. "Thank you."

Gokudera shrugged. "What's our first step?"

"Wait," she said, "and be ready to help him if he needs advice for a lunch date."

"Alright. Night Sis," Gokudera mumbled. He hung up and turned his music back on.

"The Man at the date scene, huh?" he wondered aloud while looking at his phone. On the screen was a picture of eight teenagers in the same school uniform, five boys and three girls. Tsuna stood in the center, one arm around the waist of a girl with short, light brown hair. The two of them were immortalized mid laugh, lost in their own fantasies.

Gokudera plugged his computer back in and began rebooting. "I hope it's not so fucking dramatic this time."


End file.
